nicksiders
113 posts
May 19, 2005
3:05 PM
|
My kit was tending to break up in three altitudes (Too high; about right; and too low. I had them on a mixture 15.5% protien without corn.
I switched them to whole wheat and when I put them up thirteen birds seperated themselves and left and have yet to return two days later. Is this unuasual and do you believe it was probably the food change only?
I love this hobby.............LOL
|
highroller
10 posts
May 19, 2005
4:05 PM
|
Nick,
It MAY have something to do with the wheat. When I changed from a corn/pellet mix to wheat/pellet mix they skied out on me the first few days but I didn't lose any.
Dan
|
birdman
8 posts
May 19, 2005
5:27 PM
|
Nick, were all 13 birds from the same family? Or were they a mix of your Norwood and Hatcher stuff?
Russ
|
fhtfire
126 posts
May 19, 2005
10:03 PM
|
I have never heard of birds just seperating and flying off just because of wheat. Something else had to have tweaked them. Skying out is one thing...but just flying off is a little strange.
rock and ROLL
Paul
|
nicksiders
114 posts
May 19, 2005
11:01 PM
|
Russ,
They were not from the same family.
Speaking of the Norwoods...........I am starting to experience some roll downs with them. One died; the other two I have put back up without incident. I wonder if other people with Norwoods have experienced a large number of problems? Have you heard of any critisisms?
Nick
|
Bluesman
Pigeon Fancier
202 posts
May 20, 2005
8:14 AM
|
Nick.Did you watch the birds untill they were out of sight.Did they get caught in an updraught.Like someone said Ihave never seen a kit split just because of feed.I have had kits that would fly high on wheat or milo but not from just one feeding.It took days of feeding these grains.Did these birds keep lifting higher or just take off for parts unknown.Maybe they seen a hawk that you didn,t see and just spooked. Has any came back yet? David
|
birdman
9 posts
May 20, 2005
3:16 PM
|
Nick, a friend of mine was in the circle of guys that were close to Norwood. I asked my friend about his birds once and he told me that alot of them were up by three (months) and down by five (rolldown). He was making a joke but told me that it was true. He also said that alot of them were real good but a very high percentage off certain birds would eventually roll down. Keep in mind, that was his experience with the birds that he had at the time and does not mean that everyone with Norwoods are going to have a bunch of rolldowns. Maybe it was the way he trained them that caused the rolldowns? I think that many could offer similar stories of other families of birds as well.
Russ
|
nicksiders
115 posts
May 20, 2005
8:08 PM
|
Bluesman - They did not get real high. They just headed north and kept going until I lost sight of them. I have had some hawk problems, but did not see any on that day. There has been a pair of them playing around in my area the past few days(hawks).
I did get one bird back this morning from the group....
Thanks,Nick
Last Edited by nicksiders on May 20, 2005 8:09 PM
|
Bluesman
Pigeon Fancier
204 posts
May 21, 2005
3:47 AM
|
Russ.I have found that a lot of rollers that are rolling down before 6 month old it is usually because of not getting enough feed.They have to develop muscle to be able to control the roll.Around this time they are usually starting the first moult and this takes every thing they have in them as it is.I had to learn the hard way on this.I lost a lot of rollers because I was feeding them like old birds.David
|
Bluesman
Pigeon Fancier
205 posts
May 21, 2005
4:02 AM
|
Nick.Maybe some will still find their way back.If one made it maybe more will.The one that did make it back shows some good homing instincts anyway.I know how it feels.I lose a kit every year to an overfly.Several times it was my fault.It has got to where a roller fancier has to be a Weather Forcaster,Predator Controller,Doctor,Dietitian and Psychologist(for me) before releasing a kit into the air.LOL. David
|
Sourland
14 posts
May 22, 2005
7:20 AM
|
David-as far as the psychologist, I can relate, and my wife agrees. Last autumn my daughter was visiting because she was buying a house in the area. Early on a cloudy morning she saw me fully reclined in the backyard in a beach chair (fully clothed.) After her mother assured her that I had not gone completely over the edge and was only watching my pigeons perform, she respjonded "my dad has the weirdest interests." The truth is self evident. Geo.
|
Ballrollers
6 posts
May 23, 2005
6:43 PM
|
Dave, I agree with your post about rolldowns within the first six months. With the Turner family, I am told they are on the hot side so I have been keeping the new kits fed up with 40milo/40wheat/20peas. But so far, with the first'05 kit, Jan-Feb hatches....no spins over 10 ft. Everyone tells me that's a good thing....be patient. It's a tough call on when to cut them back....too little, you get roll downs.....too much you get stiffs. What kind of criteria are you looking for to guide you? Cut back the volume or the protein??? How about you, Scott? Cliff
Last Edited by Ballrollers on May 23, 2005 6:44 PM
|
Bluesman
Pigeon Fancier
212 posts
May 24, 2005
3:55 AM
|
Cliff.What I am doing is waiting untill after the first moult before pulling the plug on them.I am feeding a regular pigeon mix of 12% protein.I add some safflower seed to this while they are moulting.Not flying them as long(usually 30 minutes).After this I will run the 12% thru a screen(can,t get single grain)and start flying them on that for awhile.When they get going good I use the regular 12% cut with 50% wheat as a mainatence feed.When I want to put on a show I will go back to the screened mix for 2 days and fly on the third.I have been having good results with this feeding.
My Jan.15th kit has several that is doing 10 foot and 2 that is hitting 20 foot good and hard and yesterday done 27 times in 30 minutes.These 2 I have been holding back and only flying every other day.If I flew these 2 every day they would crash.This is the type that before became rolldowns and because of my dumbness wound up killing themselves.
I think that this is one of the main things for anyone starting in rollers is to find out as much as you can about the family of rollers you will be working with.You have to have patience but if you know what to expect from your birds it helps to keep your patience. Didn,t mean to get long winded again.LOL.David
|
Ballrollers
12 posts
May 24, 2005
1:34 PM
|
Sounds like its worth a try. I'll keep an eye out for any early 20 footers! Cliff
|
Velo99
4 posts
Jun 02, 2005
7:49 PM
|
I tried a prep method last month to see what would happen with my kit. I fed straight wheat , 1 1/2 cups, held them in for two days then let them out. 3 mins later they were dots. I don`t think I need to do that again. Flew for an hour and a half and were flat as a pancake. Wheat turned em into speed racers. I `ll stick to 3:1 milo/wheat. They go up to 200 maybe 300 then slowly work down to 100 or so. Fly time is right at 30 mins. Getting a few breaks, mostly y/b flops and tail rides. I have three birds of 14 that are over 5 months. Most of these are y/b`s. I sent most of my older birds to a friend. Starting fresh this season.Moult is coming up time to slow down and feed the snot out of them.Get em in shape . When the moult is over time to fly for real.
v99
|
